T

aufik Hidayat may still have a long way to go to the final of the Djarum Indonesia Open Super Series Premier , but Thursday’s second round of the badminton championship gave him something to savor.

His 21-19, 25-23 win over Bao Chunlai improved his poor record against the Chinese shuttler, who had won eight of their last 10 encounters before Thursday’s match.

It was another grueling match for the 30-year-old world number three after slogging through his longest match ever against young Malaysian star Daren Liew on Wednesday.

That match lasted 77 minutes, with Taufik finally winning 30-28, 21-23, 21-12.

“There is a long way to go as [Friday] is only the quarterfinal stage. However, this match was my chance to prove that I am old but still capable,” the 2004 Olympic gold medalist said after the match Thursday.

“All this time, critics keep telling me to give up badminton and allow a younger generation to rise. I still hope that younger players rise, the sooner the better. But as we’re not at that stage yet, don’t tell me to quit [playing],” Taufik said.

“My 2-8 record [against Bao] means nothing. Playing at home, the magnificent support of the crowd was huge motivation to win.”

On Friday, Taufik will meet fellow veteran Peter Gade of Denmark, who advanced with a 21-15, 21-19 win over South Korea’s Sho Wan-ho.

The two have met 17 times, with Taufik winning nine of their matches. Gade, however, won their last match at the All England Open.

“I always look forward to my next meeting with Gade, who is a good friend. Win or lose, I will surely enjoy playing against him,” Taufik said.

While Taufik triumphed, younger Indonesians Simon Santoso and Hayom Rumbaka were defeated.

In the shock result of the day, Japan’s Sho Sasaki beat China’s Lin Dan 21-12, 21-18, while tournament top seed Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia advanced with a 21-17, 21-12 drubbing of Taiwan’s Wong Wing Ki.

In the women’s singles, Adrianti Firdasari kept Indonesia’s hopes alive by ousting Taiwan’s Tai Tzu Ying. Tai tamed world number two Wang Xin from China in the previous round.

Adrianti, who began the tournament as a qualifier, won the match 19-21, 21-14, 21-14.

“I’m grateful for reaching the quarterfinal as it has not been an easy ride as a qualifier. I have no target, I’m just trying to do my best from match to match,” she said.

China lost another title contender when world number one Wang Shixian was ousted 15-21, 17-21 by unseeded Taiwanese Cheng Shao Chieh.

Indonesian mixed doubles title hopefuls Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir enjoyed an easy ride to the quarterfinal, outclassing Japan’s Shoji Sato and Shizuka Matsuo 21-8, 21-12.

After defeating compatriots M Rijal and Debby Susanto 21-14, 19-21, 21-15 Indonesian mixed doubles rising stars Fran Kurniawan and Pia Zebadiah Bernadet will meet Taiwan’s Chen Hung Ling and Cheng Wen Hsing, who beat third seed Danish pairing Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen.

Cheng, who also paired with Chien Yu Chin in the women’s doubles, lost to Indonesian women’s pair Vita Marissa and Nadya Melati 19-21, 21-23. Vita and Nadya go on to face Malaysia’s Chin Eei Hui and Wong Pei Tty.

Indonesia’s Meiliana Jauhari and Greysia Polii also made it to the quarterfinal after beating India’s Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnapa 22-20, 18-21, 21-18.

Indonesian men’s doubles pair Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan hope to follow younger compatriots Bona Septano and M. Ahsan — who defeated top seeds Fang Chieh Min and Lee Sheng Mu of Taiwan — as well as qualifiers Angga Pratama and Ryan Agung Saputra — who defeated South Korea’s Lee Yong-dae and Jung Jae-sung — into the quarterfinals.